Tag: James 1:17

Posted on

Honor Given and Received

Hey sis,

I see your struggle and can totally relate! We all are searching for honor and significance in this world, whether we realize it or not. In fact, this often motivates many of our decisions…how we dress, the things we post online, who we befriend, the jobs we pursue, even our good deeds. But without a proper understanding of biblical honor and significance, our hearts will never be satisfied. Let’s not shame ourselves for our improper and sinful motives, lovely ladies, but rather run to the Cross and find the joy, mercy and purpose that we crave.

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” — C.S. Lewis

 Jesus desired to show honor to His disciples by washing their feet, serving them in a very sacrificial way, but Peter was not at first willing to receive this act of humility. Luke 13: 5-8: Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.

 How often do we refuse the lavish grace of God because we deem ourselves unworthy? When we close ourselves off from Christ’s love, grace, and mercy, our hearts do not find the satisfaction we were created for, and as Lewis noted above, we look for this satisfaction in worldly things. God has put eternity in our hearts, and we long for significance and honor (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Finding our identity in God as His daughters is the only means of true satisfaction!

I am a firm believer that our refusal to accept God’s Grace in our daily lives leads us to the many sinful thoughts, desires, and actions we all battle. It is GRACE that leads us to repentance, not lashing ourselves repeatedly in our minds for every wrongdoing. Romans 2:4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”This daily pursuit by our Lord and Lover can take many forms – an offer for dinner, a gift from a friend, a gentleman opening a door, a much-needed day off, etc. Have we in our pride refused these gifts from God? James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Sister, perhaps you do not have a relationship with Christ? If so, you are refusing His sacrifice of Grace on the Cross, the gift of eternal life and relationship with Him. You have nothing to lose, but the fear of death and eternal punishment!

Returning back to our passage in Luke, we see in vs. 14-17: “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” Just as we have received this grace, honor, and humble service and sacrifice from our Lord, we are called to offer it to others.

God does not show favor, as we see in James 2: 1-6: My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man.”

 True religion is showing honor to the weak, vulnerable, and oppressed. We are no better, ladies!Offer that cup of cold water from a sincere and generous heart. Wash the feet of the helpless and hurting. We might all do well to remember that ‘our neighbor’ is often no further than the roommate, friend, spouse, or difficult family member we often try to avoid. We must come to the Well of Grace and fill our souls, so that Living Waters will pour from our lives into those who are in deep need.

 

Running to Grace,

Ruth

Posted on

Enduring Joy From Our Immutable Father

My dear sister,

This past month I have been using my quiet time to pray through the attributes of God. (Praying the Attributes of God by Rosemary Jensen) One of my most cherished attributes of God is that He is immutable. It is not a word used much in our modern English language, but for some odd reason I really like the way it sounds when saying it. It means unchanging! Our God is unchanging! What a profound truth in a day and age where life’s pace is constantly changing. Staying up to date with the latest technology is just one example of this constant state of flux.

I want to share with you how deeper still my thoughts go when I stop to consider that my Heavenly Father, who never changes (James 1:17), has purposed me to be saved. And not just saved but sanctified as well. In fact; God’s plan for saving me was set in motion (determined) before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). The whole purpose for saving me was so that God would change me (Romans 8:29-30)! I’m not sure about you, but I need to repeat that.

God is unchanging (the same today as yesterday and for all eternity) and His whole purpose for my salvation (as is for all who trust in His Son’s perfect sacrifice) is to change me more and more into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Sometimes that is hard to swallow. However, my point in writing to you sweet sister in Christ, is not to confuse you but to encourage you. My hope is that the beauty, indeed the completeness, of this truth is sinking in to your heart as you read this.

This truth of who God is; and what He has purposed for you and I in light of that Truth, is what brings us enduring peace and joy. Knowing that our immutable God has an unchanging plan- to save us and to sanctify us (change us- set us apart from the rest of the world) so that when we arrive in heaven with Him we will bear the image of His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior!

Your joy, like Christ’s (Hebrews 12:2) is set before you! Can your heart see it? Can you taste it? Your joy is complete and everlasting. Nothing has happened since the foundation of the world that has changed His plan to save you. Nothing has happened or will happen to undo your salvation. Nothing can happen that will change His plan to sanctify you until He brings you to glory.

Can you sense the fullness of this Truth? Is it filling up your soul as you contemplate it? Does not your heart overflow with joy in the knowledge that you belong to this Immutable God? This joy is everlasting because it comes from your everlasting Father. This joy will always remain despite your circumstances, despite your problems, trials or errors of judgement on your part. Take courage in that; Today, your joy is complete and it will remain for eternity!

My prayer for you as I close this letter, is that the joy of your salvation will shine brightly into your world, that all men may see it and Praise God’s Holy name. (Matthew 5:16)

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Psalm 51:12

Your sister,
Susan

Posted on

Clinging to the Giver

Dear sister,

I see that you struggle with the topic of prosperity, as do I. It is a delicate issue for many, as likely you connect your worth to your prosperity, as many do. Thank you for giving me the chance to talk with you on this subject, as we learn and grow together. Nothing brings me more joy than growing and building relationships with dear sisters like you.

I remember a conversation we had several months ago, in which you told me of your desire to sell all you have and move to Africa. I have thought in depth about your comments, which remind me of similar sentiments I had around my departure from college. I thought it would honor God to sell my car and all my belongings and move to Africa as well. To do what? I wasn’t sure. But it seemed like a reasonable desire. Certainly, if God has called you to this, I would encourage you to embrace the call fully. But not all, not many, are called to this type of service. Many are called to live and work, have children, or not, but to live in this world, and rub shoulders with those whose every-day struggles keep them from God. They need to hear God’s call into the kingdom, and for many, this is closely tied with their views on money, possessions, and power. That threesome, it is deadly, when channeled towards ungodly gain.

You have the opportunity to share God’s truths on this topic, as you continue to wrestle through the implications yourself. Something my beloved husband has taught me on this topic is that money in and of itself is not evil. Similarly, it is not wrong to work hard and receive material reward for that service. I have the privilege of seeing him live out this hard-work ethic every day. God tells us in Proverbs 14:23 that, “There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.” Of course our Father, God, would not inspire these words if He did not intend them for our good. From 1 Timothy 6:17, we read, “Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.” This is the essence of what I want to encourage you with: money and possessions are not evil; it is when our hearts love them more than our Savior that they become evil. God our Father gives good gifts, He delights to do so! (James 1:17)

Enjoy the gifts your Father has showered on you, and remember as I struggle to remind myself, that there is even more joy in sharing these gifts, than there is in hoarding them to ourselves. Acts 20:35: “In every way I’ve shown you that by laboring like this, it is necessary to help the weak and to keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, for He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

You are a beautiful woman, and I’m so thankful for my relationship with you. Take these words, test them with your own knowledge of Scripture, and keep only what is true. They are my offering of all that God has taught me and I hope they will bless not only you, but also all those with which you live and work, love and play, cry and eat. Truly, our Father loves us and delights to show us mercy. Let us cling to the Giver, more than the gifts.

Blessings to you dear sister,

Ruth